Re-Organise has a focus on integrating cooperatives into HE settings including academic services such as career advice and business development support, and also the teaching and research side of universities.
We are developing resources that can be used by within universities to promote alternatives to social enterprise and regular businesses. This could be in environments as diverse as careers support, modules on courses, work placements, or business support in the creation of spin-offs and innovation.
Our project is working primarily in three universities Swansea, Loughborough, and Birmingham City. However, we have an aim of linking cooperatives and related academics more broadly across the HE sector in the U.K.
To help with this we are creating a blueprint intended for use by practitioners in UK HEIs and within the UK cooperative movement. We recognize that international higher education sectors vary considerably and that while some ideas contained within this blueprint may be applicable outside the UK, it is mainly focused on the UK context.
A small proviso, we realise that context may be important in some respects, however we hope this provides ideas and resources for people beyond the U.K context we are working in.
If you work in a univeristy, a cooperative or are simply interested in this project and the integration of cooperative businesses into your area of practice or professional work, please get in contact with the project on: lucoop@mailbox.lboro.ac.uk